Dog who helped recover body of Natalie Deblase dies

MOBILE, Ala. -- A search and recovery dog that took part in finding the remains of Natalie Deblase near Citronelle in December and helped search for four children thrown from the Dauphin Island Bridge in 2008 has died.

Vision, a 5-year-old Australian shepherd, was euthanized Monday after a battle with lymphoma, according to Jennifer Morgan, president of the Southwest Panhandle Search and Rescue K9/Emotional First Aid Team.

Natalie’s remains were found Dec. 12 in a wooded area west of Citronelle. The body of her brother, Chase, had been found days earlier near Vancleave, Miss. Natalie was 4 and Chase was 3.

The children’s father, John Deblase, and stepmother, Heather Leavell-Keaton, both remain in Mobile County Metro Jail on charges related to their deaths.

It was not long after Natalie’s remains were found that Vision fell ill, and a veterinarian diagnosed the lymphoma that would eventually take her life, Morgan said.

Vision also participated in the search for four children who were thrown from the Dauphin Island Bridge in January 2008. Lam Luong was later convicted of capital murder in the deaths of his four children, all age 3 and younger. He has been sentenced to death.

In her lifetime, Vision made 14 body recoveries, Morgan said. She was donated to the rescue team as a puppy and was one of four recovery dogs used by the squad, based out of Mobile and Pensacola.

Morgan said Vision was additionally a companion to her during her own battle with breast cancer last year.

A memorial for Vision will take place at a date to be announced by the squad. Vision will be cremated and her ashes scattered at the Dauphin Island Bridge, Morgan said.

“She wasn’t meant to be here that long, but she did wonderful things while she was here,” Morgan said.